Sabah: Fire engulfs 10 squatter water-houses in Tanjung Aru Baru

KOTA KINABALU: Ten squatter houses in a water village were destroyed in a fire that broke out in Kampung Tanjung Aru Baru early this morning.

In a statement today, the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department Operations Centre said it received an emergency call at 7.08 am and two teams from the Kota Kinabalu and Penampang fire and rescue stations were mobilised to the scene.

"A total of 40 firefighters, including logistics personnel, managed to put out the blaze and prevent it from razing dozens of other homes in the water village," the statement said.

No injuries or fatalities were reported and the cause of the fire and estimated loss are still under investigation.

Meanwhile, the Sabah Disaster Management Committee secretariat, in a separate statement, said two massive fire incidents were reported over the past 24 hours, namely in Kampung Panji Darat in Semporna yesterday and in Kampung Tanjung Aru Baru in Kota Kinabalu early today.

A relief centre has been opened in Semporna to accommodate the 37 victims, while in Kampung Tanjung Aru Baru, the process of identifying fire victims is underway.

-- BERNAMA